He's Only Human
by Alfendi Layton
Summary: Harley gets a harsh reminder that her Mr. J is only human.


He's Only Human

**RATED T** **FOR**: Abuse, drug reference/use, language, implied sexual themes and alcohol use.

Please, if you are under 13 years of age, don't expose yourself to this until you're mentally matured.

Harley gets a harsh reminder that her Mr. J is in fact, only human.

* * *

A chilly wind blew through the crime infested slums of Gotham City. Thick grey clouds gathered in the sky, a for telling that snow would be falling very soon.

The Joker pulled the collar of his coat tighter around his neck, shifting from foot to foot in the cold and damp alley. He mumbled a string of curses. This was one of the coldest damn winters he'd ever see, and he had to stand out in this Godforsaken whether! He hated it. It made his already bone-dry skin itch and his lips chap and bleed. Though Harley seemed to believe that the cause for his chapped lips was because he licked them compulsively. Joker wasn't so sure.

Snow finally broke free from the clouds, large flakes falling silently to the ground. The Joker looked up and sighed. Gotham was expecting record snow fall tonight. If Denero didn't hurry, he'd be ass deep in snow before too long.

The sound of a slamming car door was heard from behind him, but he didn't turn around, because he knew it was Harley coming from their own car.

Still looking straight ahead he called out to Harley, "You're gonna freeze your tits off coming out here like that." he said, referring to her revealing leather outfit.

She giggled when he said 'tits', but still made her way closer to him, "Aww, I don't care, I just wanna be out here with you."

A grin spread across his face, and he finally turned toward her, "Dumb kid, you'll get sick. Do yourself a favor and stay in the car.

She mirrored the Joker's grin, winking at him "I'm already sick, Daddy."

The Joker shook his head and snorted, turning back to his original position. He had not planned on Harley accompanying him to the meeting, but when the pretty doll found out that her man was off to do some dangerous dealings, she felt it was only right for her to be right by his side. Thus, she had not had time to dress for the cold.

The girl walked carefully to the Joker, hugging his arm once by his side.

"You never listen," he said, laying his head against Harley's.

"Aww, I know. But I can't let you do this alone. What if you got hurt?" she reached her hand up, patting his matted green hair, " You know I can't live without my Mr.J!"

"Stop that," he growled, jerking his head from her reach, "I ain't a damn dog. You have Bud and Lew for pettin'."

She giggled, "Sorry Pud!" she said, once again patting his head. He rolled his eyes, but grinned.

They both grew silent, waiting patiently for Denero to show. Harley had cuddled up inside the coat, holding on tightly to the Joker

A black SUV soon slowed to a stop in front of them, four men all coming out.

The Joker nudged Harley off of him, bending down to her ear and whispering, "Go wait for daddy in the car."

Harley blushed, feeling the Joker's warm breath in her ear, but nodded and walked back to their car.

One of the four men whistled when Harley walked by, "That's a fine piece of ass you got there."

The Joker smiled, "Best piece of ass I've ever had! Willing to. I tell her I want to fuck hanging up-side-down from the wings of a boeing 7-37, she's all game."

"Damn, hardcore kinks, eh? Anyway, I'm Denero. This, obviously, is my crew."

"Joker," the clown motioned to himself, "And I don't need no crew."

Denero smiled, "Word. So let's get down to business." he stared the Joker down, "The drugs, keep 'em. I gots no use for 'em."

The clown gave him a blank look, "Uh, come again?"

"The. Drugs." he said slowly and obnoxiously, "Don't. Want. Them. Get it?" he finished turning back to the SUV.

The Joker squint slightly, "What're you getting at, Denero?"

Denero laughed, looking back over his shoulder to face Joker, "What I'm getting at, clown, is that your drugs, are simply cheap."

The Joker took a step forward, challengingly, "Woah woah, back up the train, Jesse James. They're not _my _drugs, they're yours. And if you don't take them, your asshole is gonna be my new dick cozy."

Denero turned around to fully face the clown, "My, mass murderer _and _rapist. You really are some kinda hard ass." his smile widened, "But you know, I think I'm just a little bit harder." with that, he pulled out a gun, pointing at the Joker.

The clown simply gave the man an unimpressed look, "I'm not kidding. You take the drugs, or," he reached his hand down to his crotch, unbuttoning his pants and pulling the zipper down, "I'll make you my bitch." he said with all seriousness.

Denero burst into laughter, lowering the gun as he wiped a tear from his eye, "Man, can you believe this guy? You're funny as fuck! But all jokes aside, I'm not taking those shitty drugs off your hands. You gonna need someone real stupid to pay anything for that cheap shit." Denero then turned back to his car, still laughing as he opened the door and climbed in, "Be seein' ya, clown."

The Joker stood with his mouth agape as the car sped further and further away. For once there was no smile edged onto his face, just a look of disbelief.

The clown leaned up against the grimey brick wall, a rough sigh escaping his scarred, trembling lips.

What the hell just happened? Why wasn't that little bitch afraid of him?

When Harley noticed that Joker had not moved, she climbed out of the car, taking cautious steps closer to her mate.

"The drugs are cheap, Harls." he said, biting the in side of his mouth.

Harley reached her hand out to him. "Mr. J?" she said, a step closer, "'S okay. We don't need him. W-we'll find someone else do take the drugs," a nervous laugh, "I mean, some of the users here in Gotham are so desperate they'd shoot up anything. Ain't nobody gonna care if the drugs are cheap." She was now at his side, tenderly rubbing his back while her head rested on his shoulder. She could see his breath fog in the air as he breathed hard through his nose, and hear his jaw cracking as he ground his teeth jagged and feel him shaking as she held him in her arms, and as stupid as it sounded, she prayed the shaking was from the cold, even though she knew it wasn't.

"Get. Off. Me" he hissed, his head tilted down and his shoulders slumped forward.

Harley bit her lip and debated over weather or not she should do as told. She was not as dumb as Joker made her out to be, she knew she'd get a slugging if she didn't do as she was told in the next two seconds, but Harley couldn't stand to see her Mr. J so unhappy. So, she remained by his side, nuzzling further into him. "C'mon babe, " Harley ran her fingers though his green hair, shifting in front of him "Let's go get a drink. Forget about tonight." she pulled the collar of hid trench coat down and gently kissed his throat, "Maybe have a little fun in the bedroom later to-" the wind was knocked out of her before she could finish her suggestion.

Her back connected to the wall opposite of Joker, much the same way his fist had with her sternum. She slipped down the wall, the rough texture of the bricks scrapping her soft back. She looked up at her boyfriend, not in shock, as she had practically waiting for the blow, but in sadness.

Harley could understand that the Joker was mentally ill, with what though, she could not determine, she could understand he had a hard childhood, what with his alcoholic father and absent mother, she could understand that he was in constant stress over Bats hindering him for what seemed like every waking moment of the day anymore, but what she couldn't understand was why he was always so frustrated with her. The poor girl did her best, or tried to, at least. Sometimes she would question his motives, but everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes the questions would just slip from her mouth before she realized what she was doing. Harley couldn't help herself.

The Joker approached Harley with slow calculating steps that echoed in the empty alley way. The sound of gravel and water shifting under his feet bounced from the walls and into Harley's ears, sending a chill down her spine that shook her to the core.

He stood in front of her now, gazing down at her. Her own stare never wavered, she kept eye-contact with him entire the time. Determined, but not defiant.

The clown leaned forward, grabbing Harley by her leather top, dragging her closer to his face, "Girl, now is not the time to test my patience." he spat.

The laces of the top began to unravel, and Harley hastily held it together, "Y-yes sir, Mr. J."

The Joker released her, dropping her back to the cold asphalt as he straitened to his full height and walked from the garbage filled alley and into the street.

"Come, Harley!" he yelled, as if calling a dog. But then again, Harley was considered to be his bitch, now wasn't she?

She lifted herself from the ground, wordlessly following her boyfriend.

She stared at the Joker's back as they trudged back to the car. She hated how she could never seem to make him happy, no matter how hard she tried. Maybe luck was against her? Everything that night had seemed to go wrong, perhaps good old karma was rearing it's ugly head. The only thing Harley was happy about was the fact that she had not been the one to cause his anger. You could bet he'd take it out on her, though. He always did.

Harley looked at the ground, unable to even look at her lover's back without a feeling of overwhelming guilt taking hold of her for her inability to comfort him, and blew warm air into her hands, shivering as the wintery wind bit at her exposed skin, which was a lot if you'd ever seen Harley's outfit. The Joker was right, she should've stayed in the car and saved herself from the cold and the heart ache.

Harley glanced up, thinking she'd heard the Joker mumble something, but when she didn't answer, and he didn't repeat himself, she shrugged it off to her being tired.

She glanced back down to her, normally white, trembling hands. They had turned red due to the cold, it hurt to even rub the together. The Girl dully noted that her black nail polish was chipped, and needed another coat.

Her thoughts were torn from her nails suddenly when she heard something crunch in the thickening blanket of snow.

Her head snapped up to see something that horrified her.

There the Joker lay, face down in the snow, one arm tucked underneath him and the other sprawled out to his side.

"Mr.J!" she made no hesitation, she ran to him, through slushy snow in her high heeled boots, nearly slipping on the asphalt.

She dropped to her knees in front of the unconscious clown and gently shook his shoulder, ignoring the biting pain that came with the sudden drop.

She lowered her face next to his, "You okay, Babe?" she whispered. Harley got no response, with each passing second, her panic rose, making her breathing erratic.

Her slender brows turned up in worry, "C'mon Baby," she tried again, "We gotta go home." still no response.

She shifted her body closer to his, gently lifting his face from the ground, brushing snow from his cheek and hair. "Mr. J, we gotta go," she said, much louder than before, "Like, right now." she shook him as hard as she could.

Nothing.

Harley's erratic breathing stopped. She knew what she had to do.

She moved the Joker from her lap, laying him back to the ground as careful as she could, laying him on his back so she could reach inside his pockets.

She found the car keys.

* * *

From here on out the chapters will be drabble-ish. Word count will very from chapter to chapter.


End file.
